About Us

Under the authority of the Food Safety Modernization Act, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has designated five Integrated Food Safety Centers of Excellence at state health departments and affiliated university partners in Colorado, Florida, Minnesota, Oregon and Tennessee. The Centers work together to identify and implement best practices in foodborne disease surveillance and outbreak response and to serve as a resource for other state, regional, and local public health professionals. Learn more at www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/centers.

The Northwest Center for Foodborne Outbreak Management, Epidemiology, and Surveillance (FOMES) is a program that fosters the public health practice of foodborne and diarrheal disease surveillance and outbreak investigation. FOMES is a collaboration between the Oregon Public Health Division, Oregon Health and Science University and the University of Minnesota.

The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) became law in 2011 and is the most sweeping revision to our food safety laws in generations. Under the law, CDC was directed to designate five Integrated Food Safety "Centers of Excellence" which form partnerships between designated state health departments and academic institutions. FOMES is one of those five centers.

Foodborne and diarrheal illness is a significant public health problem in the United States and around the world. Each year, tens of millions of Americans are sickened with these illnesses; tens of thousands are hospitalized; and several thousand die. Foodborne pathogens include Salmonella, Campylobacter, Escherichia coli O157, and many more. Illnesses occur both sporadically and in clusters (outbreaks). Outbreaks can occur as the result of exposure to contaminated food, water, animals, or from person-to-person spread. See CDC estimates of foodborne illnesses.

FOMES supports collaborative efforts with other local, state, and federal public health agencies. Collectively, these activities will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of disease surveillance and outbreak investigations. FOMES is funded by taxpayers through the CDC.​